The official poker rulebook was written by Robert Ciaffone, better known as Bob Ciaffone in the poker world. He is a leading authority on cardroom rules. He selected the rules in the book and reorganized the text to make it easier to understand. He has also served as a rules drafter and consultant to many cardrooms. He authored the rulebook for the Poker Players Association, which was founded in 1984. However, this organization is no longer active.
Many countries have different rules regarding poker, but international tournaments are governed by FIDPA. The FIDPA, which represents the international poker community, formulated a standard set of rules for international tournaments. Many of these rules are available for free download on the FIDPA website. There are 81 rules in total, including the house rules that each individual club has to follow. The international rules were adopted in 2008.
This rulebook is updated periodically to reflect changes in cardroom rules. A delay may be required to check overhead camera tapes or to get a shift supervisor to give a ruling. During the wait, the house may impounded the prize pool. If the poker tournament has a private agreement, the director has the power to enforce it. A private agreement between two players that does not involve active competitors is considered unethical. This rulebook focuses on playing poker in casinos and has been used by the World Series of Poker.
The rules of online poker are similar to those of live games. When the game starts, players are paid according to their position and antes. The dealer then assigns starting chips to each player. If someone is absent from the game, they will be dealt in the same position as the remaining players. The director will also put all necessary chips, including antes and blinds, into the pot. When the hand is over, the dealer will take all the chips that have been paid for blinds and antes, and the table will be broken as per predetermined order.